About 30 business leaders and local officials from around Franklin County met with Eric Paley in Greenfield last week telling the state's economic development secretary about the wonders and the challenges around the state's most rural county.
Paley was appointed Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development by Gov. Maura Healey last summer; he started the position in September.
The 90-minute meeting introduced Paley to some of the people, businesses and economic challenges unique to the area.
Linda Dunlavey, the executive director of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, described for Paley the county's success stories and priority needs, highlighting jobs, housing and public transportation.
She also spelled out how the county's population is in decline, and could continue to spiral downward. But because the county is so small Dunlavey pointed out, its strength is their many collaborations.
"It's really the only way we get things done," Dunlavey said, "and it's because we know each other. We trust each other, we have relationships; we can identify a problem and then work together to solve it."
Paley told the group that while this was his first visit to western Mass., it was not his last. With them, he said, he wants to figure out how to support Franklin County the best he can.
"I really do believe in life, showing up is half the battle. If I'm not here in Franklin County, I'm not learning about Franklin County. If you're not teaching me, I'm not learning about it," Paley said, adding that he appreciated how county and state leaders and business owners work together, "to elevate the agenda and I hope over time you'll see me as a trusted partner."
His job, Paley said, is to figure out how to help across the state. He understands it appears the state does a lot for the Boston area, for Cambridge and Somerville.
"The rest of the state cannot thrive if Boston, Cambridge, Somerville are not doing well and Boston, Cambridge, Somerville will not thrive long term if the rest of the state is not doing well," Paley said.
The easiest way to think about economic development is one size fits all, Paley said, but that doesn't work.
"We have distinctive problems across the state, and you can't just claim that one thing that works somewhere works somewhere else," Paley said.
Paley's visit coincided with two key pieces of work, according to the Franklin Region Council of Governments: the continued rollout of the $4 billion Mass Leads Act, a 2024 economic development bond bill which is critical for western and north central Massachusetts, and the development of another Healey Administration economic development bond bill which is expected in 2026.
While in western Mass., Paley was also scheduled to visit the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the region's largest employer.
